Lena Kaufmann

My research focuses on the natural behaviors of animals, their cognitive abilities, and how these are represented in the brain. I am particularly fascinated by social and prosocial behaviors—how individuals understand the intentions, emotions, sensations, and actions of others, and why they may even risk harm to benefit someone else.

I have worked with a variety of animal species, from elephants to rodents, birds, amphibians, and fruit flies. I believe in the importance of studying diverse model organisms, as they offer unique perspectives and allow us to answer specific questions by investigating species that have evolved specialized cognitive, behavioral, morphological, and anatomical adaptations.

At the Social Brain Lab, I will return to working with rats, exploring emotional contagion, social learning, and prosocial behaviors, along with their underlying neuronal dynamics. Through this research, I hope to contribute to our understanding of the neural and behavioral mechanisms that shape social interactions across species.

I enjoy mentoring students and sharing my enthusiasm for science through teaching. Communicating research is something I deeply value—whether through designing engaging scientific posters (one of which earned the Best Poster Award at the 2023 BCCN Advisory Board Meeting), presenting at conferences and invited talks, or organizing discussions. To foster interdisciplinary exchange, I initiated a speaker series on cooperation from behavior to the brain, which was awarded a grant from the Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin.